The next five Dancing with the Stars celebrities were revealed on Friday night's Late Late Show Christmas Special.
TV presenter Elaine Crowley, chef Kevin Dundon, TikTok star Kayleigh Trappe, Olympian Rhys McClenaghan and actress Yasmin Seky were all announced and joined Patrick Kielty to chat about their challenge.
But before that, Toy Show star Brian Óg opened the show. "Hello everybody and welcome to The Late Late Show," he said to cheers from the audience. "I’m Brian Óg and what an amazing line-up we had for you tonight."
Then Patrick Kielty walks out, and basically accuses him of trying to "steal my job" before Brian Óg replied with: "A week is a long time in showbiz."
Nathan Carter then appeared and he performed a duet of Wagon Wheel with Brian Óg. What a hectic start to the show!
Following that, Patrick introduced the quintet of DWTS contestants and they joined him for a chat.
"I like a challenge," said Olympic gold medallist Rhys McClenaghan. "But this will be a tough challenge, I must admit. I had my first rehearsal today and I think I might be a little bit sore tomorrow.
"We’ll see how it goes - but we’re all newbies here."
Next up was Elaine Crowley. The TV presenter said: "Put it this way: I’m more of a twirly round the pole rather than actually on a pommel horse kind of girl. That would be my dancing skills so far."
Patrick then went to Kevin Dundon. "Your wife, I believe, has already made space for the glitter ball trophy."
A smiling Kevin replied that sh had the mantelpiece ready, adding: "I’ve already weighed it up - it’ll look good on both sides of the mantelpiece."
Patrick then noted that Yasmin has friends who are professional dancers. "How much confidence do they have in you?" He asked. "I wish that they had more confidence, but they’ve seen me on a night out, they’ve seen me in the clubs with a drink, and it’s a little one-two step. And that’s all I can muster.
"They were literally like, I’m going to hold your hand while I say this. Don’t do it. So we’ll see how it goes . . . Now that I’m actually on the show, they’re rooting for me."
Turning to Kayleigh, Patrick noted that her dad is very confident about her on the show. He was being sarcastic. Kayleigh recalled: "I said I'm doing Dancing With the Stars and he said: You?
"And then I told him Rhys was doing it and he said: Sure, try your best. And I told my mother Kevin was doing it and she said: Kayleigh, you have’t a hope."
Kayleigh also revealed that she’s been doing a bit of acting. "I was in Fair City last week for the Christmas special. It’s like our bread and butter at home growing up.
"My granny loved it, and mother washing my granny would be so proud," she added. "It was a lovely experience."
New DWTS judge and two-time champion pro dancer Karen Byrne then turned up to discuss her latest role on the show. "I’m so relieved," she admitted. "I just cannot hold a secret. Since I was a baby, my mam was like, Don’t tell Karen a secret 'cos she’ll tell every neighbour on the street.
"I think I was a little bit nervous," she added. "I didn’t know what everyone’s reaction was going to be. But I tell you, on Sunday morning I couldn’t get over the reaction. I was relieved. Thank God people are happy.
"I didn’t want to upset anybody, but I am over the moon. I still can’t believe it."
As for how she’ll take on the role of judge on Dancing With the Stars, she said: "I just feel my personality is that I say how it is. If they’re good, I’ll tell them. And if they’re bad, I’ll tell them.
"So the fact that I’m now a judge on the show will make no difference . . . I think honesty is the best policy."
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